Danny Joyce | Editor
- Aug 18, 2023

Survey reveals people on SIM-Free and PAYG phone plans pay €20 less per month

With the cost of living still rising and back-to-school looming, it’s time to look at the areas of your life where you may be able to make some savings. Perhaps you are looking to purchase a new phone for yourself, or a first phone for one of your children or teens. Currys have a wide-range of unlocked, SIM-free phones, which may be the best option for you or your child and won’t break the bank!

SIM free phones are phones that don’t come with a SIM card and are unlocked, meaning you can use them with any network!

Currys recently carried out a survey around SIM-free phones and the results included the following:

• 32% of people are either on a SIM-only or Pay As You Go plan

• The majority of people on Bill Pay plans pay between €50 - €70 per month

• The majority of people on SIM-only or Pay As You Go plans pay between €20 - €50 per month, making these options a much better choice for younger people, people on a budget, or if you just don’t fancy throwing money away on bills when you can get a better deal elsewhere

• The majority of people on SIM-only or Pay As You Go have switched to these options within the past two years, which shows that more and more people are aware of the value to be had with these plans

• 72% of people have said that they don’t need the latest top of the range mobile phone, but just want one that’s fast, has a decent battery and a good camera. SIM-free options from Currys are ideal here, as thanks to advances in technology there are a massive range of reasonably priced smartphones with good quality cameras, powerful hardware and long battery life. This means people don’t have to commit to long-term bill-pay contracts in order to get a good quality smartphone.

Currys Ireland tech experts look at the reasons it makes sense to choose SIM-free:

It’s cheaper:
When buying SIM free you have the upfront cost of the handset, whereas when purchased on a contract, the cost of the handset is factored into the monthly cost.
When taking out a contract you are essentially taking a loan out for the phone and only at the end of the contract will you have paid for and be able to keep the phone. Normally included in the contract is an allowance for calls, texts and maybe mobile data, but the initial cost of the handset has been factored in.
Ultimately you have to choose the right option for you, but SIM free gives you that option to be flexible.

Upgrade when you like:

When you are SIM free and unlocked, you are not tied to any provider.

If you want a different phone, and can afford to buy it, then this is always an option.

Your old phone can easily be sold on to someone else or recycled to gain value from it and contribute towards new purchases.

Depending on your network plan you can even change this more regularly. You can choose when to upgrade your phone, if you want a mobile plan that offers you more or less minutes or data. You change it when you want, subject to the conditions you have.

Freedom
SIM-free phones are great if you want to use your phone abroad and buy a SIM card when you arrive to use a local network.
This is particularly useful for travelling outside the EU where travellers are subject to hefty roaming rates.
For parents buying their child’s first phone, SIM-free phones mean you won’t get stuck with any nasty surprises with bills. It also teaches children responsibility as they will have a prepay package they need to stick to.

High-quality mobile phones that won’t break the bank:
Mid-range, affordable phones have made huge technological leaps over the past few years.
As top of the range phone prices continue to creep up, mid-range phones are more appealing than ever, and you don’t have to have the very best phone anymore to enjoy an exceptional smartphone experience.

Free yourself from expensive, long contracts and go sim free with Currys range of smartphones starting from €99, in store or online at www.currys.ie